Initiatives

Leadership Development

National Federation Forum

In May 2017 during Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month, NaFFAA hosted its first-ever “Federation Forum,” a leadership development summit with representatives of ten national Filipino American organizations. Held in Washington, DC, delegates participated in activities focused on strategic planning and fundraising, discussed their collective agenda, and met with leaders from the Administration and Congress. NaFFAA will host another National Federation Forum and Welcome Reception in Washington, DC in October 2018 during Filipino American History Month.

Regional / National Empowerment Conferences

NaFFAA’s thirteen-member regions cover the continental United States, Alaska, Hawaii, and the Pacific Islands. Throughout 2018, they will continue to host regional conferences focused on uniting and empowering Filipino American organizations and individuals. NaFFAA’s next National Empowerment Conference (NEC) will be in Los Angeles, CA in 2019. Recent NECs were in San Diego in 2014, and Philadelphia in 2016.

EPYC Ambassadors Program

According to the U.S. Census, of the 4 million Filipinos in the United States, one-fourth (almost 1 million) are youth between the ages of 18 to 34. In 2017, NaFFAA launched its inaugural Empowering Pilipino Youth through Collaboration (EPYC) Ambassadors Program, which aims to strengthen the personal and professional development of young Filipino Americans through networking, sharing best practices, leadership-building, and mobilizing around issue-based campaigns. The program’s twelve ambassadors are a mix of college students and young professionals.

Business Summit

In October 2017, NaFFAA hosted a National Small Business Summit engaging 30 top Filipino American business owners and entrepreneurs from throughout the country. Held in Washington, DC, the summit focused on topics including business leadership, executive perspectives, access to capital, contracts, and global markets. Attendees were also able to participate in high-level networking with representatives from federal agencies like the Small Business Administration and Minority Business Development Agency.

Civic Engagement

FilAm Vote

According to AAPI Data, only 59% of eligible Filipino voters were registered and only 50% voted in the 2016 election. Since 2002, NaFFAA’s non-partisan civic engagement program, “FilAm Vote,” has aimed to unite, build, and increase political empowerment through voter registration, voter education, voter protection, and Get Out The Vote (GOTV). In 2017, NaFFAA partnered with the New Virginia Majority Education Fund and registered more than 50 new voters, knocked on almost 1,000 doors, and made nearly 5,000 calls in less than 6 weeks for the November 2017 Virginia gubernatorial election. In 2018, NaFFAA will continue its FilAm Vote program across the country during the midterm elections targeting key Filipino American states and districts.

Civic Leadership Forums

According to the U.S. Census, of the 4 million Filipinos in the United States, 1.5 million (nearly 40%) live in California, making up the second largest Asian American community in the state. In 2018, NaFFAA will host day-long forums focused on civic leadership and empowerment within the Filipino American community. Prominent speakers will discuss topics ranging from personal and professional development to civic engagement and local advocacy. The first forum is in San Francisco in April 2018.

National Advocacy

Immigration Reform

Over the past 20 years, NaFFAA has led immigration advocacy campaigns and built strategic relations with policymakers at the federal, state, and local level. NaFFAA is committed to protecting family reunification, fighting for the DREAM Act, and defending the nearly 5,000 young Filipinos who have benefited from Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA). NaFFAA is the only Filipino American member organization of the National Council of Asian Pacific Americans (NCAPA), a coalition of more than 30 national organizations.

Supporting NaFFAA

Since its founding in 1997, NaFFAA has positioned itself as the national voice for the Filipino American community, and your partnership will allow for the growth of NaFFAA’s programming in the decades to come.

Your support will help ensure the continuation and success of our work to empower the 4 million Filipinos in the United States through leadership development, civic engagement, and national advocacy.

We thank you for your support.

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